


In the Ring

by MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)



Series: 2019 WinterIron Bingo [8]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky teaches, Harley is learning, M/M, Pre-Slash, Self-Defense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:01:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21587266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenOne/pseuds/MarvelousMenagerie
Summary: Harley wants to learn how to fight. Tony suspects that Harley wants to learn how to fight as spectacularly and flashily as Peter Parker does, but first Harley needs the basics.And who better a teacher than one who taught in the Red Room?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: 2019 WinterIron Bingo [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1372564
Comments: 7
Kudos: 200
Collections: WinterIron Bingo 2019





	In the Ring

**Author's Note:**

> For the Winteriron Bingo square : red room

Tony winced as Harley’s body smacked in the mat. 

“Again,” Bucky ordered.

“Screw you, man,” Harley muttered as he slowly got to his hands and knees. Sweat pooled at his temples, and Tony could only guess what aches and pains Harley was feeling. Getting thrown to the ground again and again and again would do that to you. 

This time, from either the exhaustion or the bruises, Harley stayed down. 

“Get up so you can say that to my face,” Bucky said calmly, a hint of a smile on his lips. 

Tony grinned. Bucky knew was he was doing, just like Tony thought he did. 

Harley snarled and clambered to his feet. 

“Screw you,” Harley spit at Bucky, but Harley put his hands up in a defensive position. 

“Good,” Bucky said, eyeing Harley’s stance. “Now, defend.”

Bucky stepped forward, grabbing for Harley’s arm. Harley tried to dodge, but Bucky was too fast. Bucky got a grip, and Harley tried to break it. Harley yipped in triumph when he slid his arm free from Bucky, but Tony winced. 

Tony saw what was coming. Bucky moved again, and Harley didn’t step back free in time.

Bucky grabbed Harley in a chokehold. Harley wheezed for breath and stumbled through the beginnings of throwing Bucky off, but didn’t quite manage it. 

Bucky threw Harley down onto the mat again. Bucky called it negative reinforcement. 

Harley slapped the ground. 

“When do we get to the fun stuff?” Harley asked as he rolled onto his back. “Where I get to throw you and see how you like it.”

“Sometime after these moves become second nature,” Bucky explained, again. 

Tony had heard him repeat these words to Harley many times before. Tony suspected that part of the problem was that Harley had seen Peter in the ring sparring with Natasha. That Peter Parker had enhanced senses and flexibility would mean nothing to Harley. Harley would want to be able to fight just like Peter. 

The competitiveness between the boys was so far good-natured, and Tony was keeping a careful eye on them to be sure it stayed that way. 

Harley’s dreams were too big, too fast. If Tony was teaching, Tony would’ve been too tempted to show Harley some of the flashier moves, to keep the kid entertained. Better that Bucky was Harley’s teacher, where Bucky had the patience, expertise, and discipline to keep Harley learning techniques in the proper order. 

“We need to train your body to react instantly. There’s no time for you to think over what you’ll do next.”

“No wonder it’s always the stupid jocks getting into fights.”

Bucky chuckled. “Somethin’ like that. The smartest people always manage to avoid the fight before it begins, so that’s definitely your first goal.”

While Harley climbed to his feet again, Bucky gave a quick nod to Tony. It was a good time for the session to end. 

Tony stepped forward out of the shadows, announcing his presence to Harley with a clap of his hands. 

Harley immediately straightened, pretending he wasn’t as tired and aching as he probably was. Another good reason that Tony wasn’t his teacher for this. Harley cared less about Bucky’s opinion and wouldn’t hide injuries. It’s also why Harley didn’t know that Tony was watching.

“Well, kid, you’re welcome to go another hour with our Winter Teacher here or we can grab some grub. Your choice.”

“Food is fine,” Harley said with a careless shrug. 

Bucky hid his grin. 

“Then showers for you,” Tony ordered as he pointed the locker room. “Not optional. Stinky teenage boy does not mix with my appetite. What sounds good to you? I’ll order so it’s ready by the time you make it out.”

Harley hobbled his way to the locker rooms. “Pizza!”

Tony rolled his eyes. “He said pizza yesterday, too.”

Bucky laughed. “Did you really expect something different?” 

“I guess not. At least they serve salads too. I’ll see how much I can force onto Harley’s plate this time.”

“Good luck with that.” Bucky hadn’t worked up a sweat, so he followed Tony out of the gym. 

“You joining us?” 

Bucky shrugged. “Sure, if you don’t mind.”

“JARVIS, make sure to add in Bucky’s usual. Plus, more salad, so Bucky can lead by example.”

“Hey now!” Bucky protested with a laugh. “Are you trying to scare me away?”

“Well, you did decide that learning by negative reinforcement was a solid teaching method,” Tony teased.

Guilt made Bucky winced. “I can change that if you -”

Tony put his hand on Bucky’s shoulder to cut him off. “Hey, you’re the expert. Don’t listen to me.”

Bucky frowned. “The Red Room isn’t really what I would want to put on my resume.”

Tony waved away the concern. “No, of course don’t go full on Red Room on him. But you’re good at this, at teaching. I don’t know if you were good before the Red Room or if the Red Room made you good, but what does it matter now? He’s learning, he’s not traumatized, what more could I ask for?”

Bucky ducked his head to hide his grin. 

Tony patted Bucky’s shoulder, then let go. His fingers still tingled from the touch, as Bucky’s tanktop meant that some of Tony’s hand had touched warm skin. 

Now wasn’t the time for that, though. Harley was going to come out of the showers, body aching but tongue sharp, and Tony needed to get pizza to try to fill Harley’s bottomless teenage stomach. At least Tony was used to feeding super soldiers, so he felt a little more prepared. 

“You got a preference for pizza place? I don’t think Harley even tastes anything before he scarfs it down, so he won’t care,” Tony offered. 

“Romano’s?”

“Oh, Romano’s! Solid choice, my favorite.”

“I know.” Bucky bit his lip. 

Tony raised his eyebrows, but Bucky didn’t look at him. 

“Good. Be sure to remember,” Tony said as a smile stole across his face. 

Now wasn’t the time, but soon.   
  



End file.
